Equipment - How to spend 10.000 € and 50.000 € on school equipment
When we visited the Martin-Luther-Schule in Marburg, we got a proficient overview how much technical equipment an average school uses today in order to make teaching more efficient and more interesting for the pupils. We were given the task to think about how we would spend 10.000 € and 50.000 € on school equipment.
When a school buys new technical equipment, it is obvious that it will be used by most of the departments. In this abstract I'm just refering to the use of IT for second language teaching.
I think that most of the schools have one or two computer labs which can be used by the pupils and some techincal equipment such as video projectors or dvd-players that can be boroughed in the teacher's room or somewhere else. In second language teaching it is necessary that the pupils are used to authentic native-speaker communication. Most of the textbooks include a CD with audio samples. Unfortunately, in most cases the recorded audio files sound artifial and fail in teaching the pupils important characteristics of authentic speech use, such as weak forms, prosody or stress. The best way to enable authentic second language teaching is to spend 10.000 € on media boxes which include a flatscreen (500€), speakers (80€), a blu ray-player (100 €) and a laptop (450€). Furthermore about 200 € need to be invested in building a box of wood or aluminum to protect the equipment from damages and theft. If you consider that some additional cables or pluges are needed one media box costs about 1400 €. I would suggest to install six media boxes, because it can be used not only by the English-department, but also by other language teachers which is about 8400 € to invest. The system can not only be used to train the auditory skills (listening, watching-listening), but also to present websites from the internet or to work on texts. I would spend about 500 € on a proficient video camera to help the students improve their presentations in front of the class and some smaller tools, such as two digital photo cameras (each 100 €) and a new printer (150 €) for the computer lab. I would safe the rest, in case some devices need to be repaired or fixed and for follow-up costs for the printer.
6 Media Boxes 8400€
1 Video Camera 500€
2 Digital Cameras 200€
1 Printer 150€
________________________
9250 €
When considering which devices to purchase for 50.000 €, I would defenitly consider to buy some fully equipped Smart Boards (including a computer, speakers, a laptop, a document camera and board which is larger than a standart one ~ 7000€). I decided to include also the document camera into the system to enable not only the possiblity to display student's homework on the board and to work with it, but also to use it for naming tasks, for instance. In language classes, it is of high importance also to train the writing skills. I'm aware of the fact, that writing on a Smart Board is somehow difficult. I think it may be advantageous to buy a larger baord to offer the students and the teacher enough writing space.
The Smart Board can be used most efficiently in the Sekundarstufe I (5th -10 grade), because in the Oberstufe pupils work less on the board, which was a statement from Mr Pichl. That's why I would limit the installation to lower classes. Furthermore, the playful and creative teaching approaches (gap-textes, picture-puzzles...) the board offers, might appeal more to younger than to advanced pupils. All in all I would buy 5 Smart Boards. To improve the teaching equipment in the Oberstufe, I would buy five Media boxes. To my mind, it is of high importance that there is a uniform software system. To enable the students to work at home, I would buy 1000 USB-keys (7 € each) including open-source sofware, which is also used on the computers and Smart Boards in school.
5 Smart Boards: 35.000 €
5 Media Boxes: 7.000€
1 Video Camera: 500 €
2 Photo Cameras: 200 €
1000 USB-Keys: 7.000€
1 Printer: 300 €
_________________________
50.000 €
When a school buys new technical equipment, it is obvious that it will be used by most of the departments. In this abstract I'm just refering to the use of IT for second language teaching.
I think that most of the schools have one or two computer labs which can be used by the pupils and some techincal equipment such as video projectors or dvd-players that can be boroughed in the teacher's room or somewhere else. In second language teaching it is necessary that the pupils are used to authentic native-speaker communication. Most of the textbooks include a CD with audio samples. Unfortunately, in most cases the recorded audio files sound artifial and fail in teaching the pupils important characteristics of authentic speech use, such as weak forms, prosody or stress. The best way to enable authentic second language teaching is to spend 10.000 € on media boxes which include a flatscreen (500€), speakers (80€), a blu ray-player (100 €) and a laptop (450€). Furthermore about 200 € need to be invested in building a box of wood or aluminum to protect the equipment from damages and theft. If you consider that some additional cables or pluges are needed one media box costs about 1400 €. I would suggest to install six media boxes, because it can be used not only by the English-department, but also by other language teachers which is about 8400 € to invest. The system can not only be used to train the auditory skills (listening, watching-listening), but also to present websites from the internet or to work on texts. I would spend about 500 € on a proficient video camera to help the students improve their presentations in front of the class and some smaller tools, such as two digital photo cameras (each 100 €) and a new printer (150 €) for the computer lab. I would safe the rest, in case some devices need to be repaired or fixed and for follow-up costs for the printer.
6 Media Boxes 8400€
1 Video Camera 500€
2 Digital Cameras 200€
1 Printer 150€
________________________
9250 €
When considering which devices to purchase for 50.000 €, I would defenitly consider to buy some fully equipped Smart Boards (including a computer, speakers, a laptop, a document camera and board which is larger than a standart one ~ 7000€). I decided to include also the document camera into the system to enable not only the possiblity to display student's homework on the board and to work with it, but also to use it for naming tasks, for instance. In language classes, it is of high importance also to train the writing skills. I'm aware of the fact, that writing on a Smart Board is somehow difficult. I think it may be advantageous to buy a larger baord to offer the students and the teacher enough writing space.
The Smart Board can be used most efficiently in the Sekundarstufe I (5th -10 grade), because in the Oberstufe pupils work less on the board, which was a statement from Mr Pichl. That's why I would limit the installation to lower classes. Furthermore, the playful and creative teaching approaches (gap-textes, picture-puzzles...) the board offers, might appeal more to younger than to advanced pupils. All in all I would buy 5 Smart Boards. To improve the teaching equipment in the Oberstufe, I would buy five Media boxes. To my mind, it is of high importance that there is a uniform software system. To enable the students to work at home, I would buy 1000 USB-keys (7 € each) including open-source sofware, which is also used on the computers and Smart Boards in school.
5 Smart Boards: 35.000 €
5 Media Boxes: 7.000€
1 Video Camera: 500 €
2 Photo Cameras: 200 €
1000 USB-Keys: 7.000€
1 Printer: 300 €
_________________________
50.000 €
